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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28722168">I'll Follow You Anywhere</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlietango/pseuds/charlietango'>charlietango</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dean Winchester Confesses Feelings for Castiel, Episode AU: s15e18 Despair, Episode Fix-It: s15e19 Inherit the Earth, First Kiss, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Happy Ending, Hopeful Ending, Jack Kline Saves Castiel from the Empty, M/M, Minor Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester, Missing Scene, Protective Castiel (Supernatural), Sam Winchester Knows, fuck the finale lol, hand holding, no I haven't actually watched these eps, the Empty threatens Dean, the ending we deserved, totally ignoring s15e20, under very distressing circumstances</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:20:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28722168</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlietango/pseuds/charlietango</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Added scene for 15x18: When the Empty takes Cas, Dean tries to go with him.</p><p>Alternate 15x19 ending: Jack brings Cas back, and the brothers get to think about their futures. Dean's includes Cas.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'll Follow You Anywhere</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Goodbye, Dean.”</p><p>Then Cas shoves him aside. But Dean’s hunter instincts take over and he steadies himself. He lunges forward, ignoring the horror on Castiel’s face, ignoring the creeping black ooze enveloping Cas. He wraps his arms around the angel and the Empty takes them both.</p><p>Darkness in front of his eyelids. Dean opens his eyes. He can’t see anything. It’s darker than a moonless night, and it feels just as bleak. But he can still feel the body he’s holding, the trench coat scrunched up in his fists.</p><p>“Cas? Cas, you there?”</p><p>“Dean…”</p><p>Dean can hear the absolute terror in Cas’ voice, the unspoken <em>why did you do that</em>, but he knows Cas knows why. Sam wasn’t there to hold him back this time. He would follow Cas anywhere.</p><p>“Cas, why can’t I see anything -”</p><p>“A HUMAN?” Dean hears a voice shout from behind him. It grates against his brain , but he doesn’t let go of Cas to cover his ears for fear they might get separated. He doubles over in pain, pressing his forehead to Cas’ chest, feels Cas’ arms around his back. The voice reminds him of when Cas first tried to talk to him using his true angelic voice, but this is much, much more terrifying. He feels Cas move in between him and the voice, keeping in contact so Dean knows where he is. Cas’ arms are reaching back, bracketing Dean with his hands holding Dean’s sides. Dean holds onto Cas’ shoulders. The voice continues.</p><p>“You brought a HUMAN? How is he even HERE? Castiel, of all the - wait. Waaaait, wait, wait, wait.” The being chuckles. It’s an even worse noise than the thing just talking. “No, this is THEE human, isn’t it, Castiel?” Dean feels Cas’ grip on him tighten. “The one you just…oh this is hilarious! Hellooo, Dean,” the voice says. Hearing his name does it. He lets go of Cas with one hand, still afraid of letting go completely, and covers one ear, crying out.</p><p>“Oh, dear, that won’t do.” The being clears its throat. “How’s this?” The voice changes into something Dean’s brain can take. “Better? Good. So, Castiel, are you going to introduce us?” It still makes Dean’s ears ring a bit on certain sounds, like its hitting a frequency just outside of human hearing. The accent is one he’s never heard, completely unidentifiable. Although the being is addressing Cas now, Dean shouts back.</p><p>“Whoever you are, whatever you are -” Dean starts, but he’s cut off by what feels like cotton in his throat.</p><p>“Ah, ah. The more advanced beings are talking.”</p><p>“Leave him alone,” Cas says protectively. He sounds incredibly fierce, righteously furious even in the face of this overwhelmingly powerful entity.</p><p>“Oh, gladly. If you leave <em>me</em> alone. You know the deal, Castiel. It’s time. I’ll spit him back out if you come quietly. And I MEAN quietly, you absoLUTely exASperating thing.”</p><p>Dean can feel the anger radiating off the being. It’s primeval fury, and it’s all directed at Cas. Directed at Cas, but because of him. He snakes his arms around Cas in a vain attempt to protect the angel. He puts his palms to Cas’ chest, pressing Cas back against him. Cas grabs hold of one arm and squeezes in wordless thanks.</p><p>“I will. I didn’t want him to follow me.” Cas’ grip on Dean’s arm tightens till Dean can feel his nails. “He’s got work to do.” Oh, the sadness in Cas’ voice almost makes Dean wish he hadn’t followed him. But no, he had no choice. He would follow Cas anywhere.</p><p>Dean tries to clear his throat and finds he can speak again. So he says, quietly, “Cas, no. You’re coming back with me.”</p><p>“Oh no, he’s not. We had a deal.”</p><p>“Dean -”</p><p>“No!”</p><p>“Castiel, a human has never been here before so I don’t know what I can do to him, but know I CAN do something. I’ll find it. I’ll find something horrible to do to him in no time. You KNOW I’m not patient.”</p><p>“Dean, you have to let me go.” But Cas makes no move to disentangle himself from Dean’s hold.</p><p>“I can’t.”</p><p>“Yes, you can.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“You have to.”</p><p>“Castiel,” the voice says in warning. It sounds closer.</p><p>“Dean.” The desperation in Cas’ voice makes Dean hesitate. But he can’t, he can’t let go. He pulls Cas closer, resting his forehead on the back of Cas’ neck.</p><p>“I love you, Cas.”</p><p>Suddenly, Cas is moving, twisting himself around in Dean’s arms. When Cas stops, Dean renews his grip, holding fistfuls of trench coat as tightly as he can. Cas must be facing Dean now, but he still can’t see anything. He can feel, though. He feels hands on the sides of his face. Palms cradling his jaw. Thumbs rubbing circles into his cheeks. Fingers carding through the hair just behind his ears. Lips on his. Cas’ lips. Cas is kissing him. In his shock, Dean’s fists relax, finally letting go. He regrets it immediately, because Cas pulls back.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>Cas’ hands land heavily on Dean’s chest, pushing him backwards with angelic strength.</p><p>He hears the voice laugh again. It makes his chest ache. Then his back hits something solid.</p><p>Light in front of his eyelids. Dean opens his eyes. He’s standing in the dungeon, back to the wall. Alone. He reaches up to touch his cheek. It’s stained in tears that aren’t his.</p><p> </p><p>+++</p><p> </p><p>They figure out how to defeat Chuck, and they do it. The world is saved, and Jack is God.</p><p>Jack waves at the brothers, turning to leave, but Dean grabs his hand. Jack looks at Dean, the picture of benevolence. Dean closes his eyes and sighs deeply before looking at this kid. <em>His </em>kid. <em>Cas’</em> kid.</p><p>“Can I ask you to do one thing?”</p><p>Jack smiles fondly. With practiced seriousness he says, “What can I do for you?”</p><p>“Bring him back.”</p><p>The duty-bound look is replaced with childlike excitement. “Of course!”</p><p>Jack glows with power for just a moment, the air around him crackling like lightning about to strike, then Cas is standing in front of them. His eyes are closed, face scrunched up and hand blocking the sun like he hasn’t seen light in ages. Dean realizes that’s probably the truth, remembering the vast darkness of the Empty. Then Dean remembers what happened in the Empty, and his throat feels like it’s filled with cotton again.</p><p>“Hey, Cas,” Sam says, breaking Dean out of his stupor.</p><p>Cas finally opens his eyes. He smiles, and falls to his knees. Dean’s immediately at his side. Sam rushes over just a moment later.</p><p>“He’ll be all right,” Jack says reassuringly. “Give him time.”</p><p>At the sound of Jack’s voice, Cas looks up, energy returned. The brothers help him stand, though he doesn’t really need it. Sam moves to stand next to him, but Dean keeps his hands on Cas, one on his shoulder and the other on the small of his back.</p><p>“Jack. You did this,” Cas says. The pride in his voice makes Jack smile.</p><p>“I did! But I have to go now. Goodbye.”</p><p>He waves again, and all three of them wave back.</p><p>When he’s gone, Dean looks at Cas. “You okay?”</p><p>“Yes, like he said. Give me time. I haven’t seen any light in a while, it’s a little disorienting.”</p><p>“I could grab you some sunglasses?” Sam says, half joking. Cas just laughs.</p><p>“No, I don’t know if that would help. Thank you, though.”</p><p>They stand there in silence for a moment, looking at the place Jack was just a moment ago. Cas sighs.</p><p>“So, you did it. It’s over.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Dean says. Then, with awe, he adds, “We get to live our lives.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Sam says, realization making his voice go quiet.</p><p>It dawns on both brothers at the same time. They’re free.</p><p> </p><p>+++</p><p> </p><p>Cas quickly falls asleep in the backseat, no doubt tired from his sudden rescue. Sam and Dean stay silent for a while, too many thoughts racing through their heads. The possibilities are endless. They never had the chance to even think about this in seriousness before, so all the half-baked ideas and left-behind desires they’d ever had in all their years of hunting rush through their minds like a biblical flood.</p><p>All at once, that flood starts pouring out of their mouths. They talk over each other frantically, just trying to get it all out. But in saying it out loud, they quickly realize the ideas are still half-baked and the desires should stay left behind. They cut each other off, shoot ideas down, and are just generally unproductive for a long stretch of road.</p><p>They talk over each other a few more times before Dean raises a hand. “Let’s just…think for a sec, ‘kay?”</p><p>Sam makes a noise of agreement. They pass the rest of the drive in thoughtful silence. Dean looks at the road, checks on Cas in the rearview. Sam stares out the window, checks on Dean when he looks away from the road.</p><p>When they reach the bunker, Sam knows what his future looks like. Dean is still shaky. Cas is still asleep.</p><p>The brothers get out of the Impala and stand together, looking back at the road so far. Sam says he’s going to find Eileen. His car is already packed with supplies so he’ll leave right away, and he’s got a good idea of where she might be. Dean says he wants to stay put, maybe run some sort of safe house for hunters in the area, but he doesn’t sound sure. Sam can tell something (or someone) is missing from the picture, even if Dean doesn’t know what (or who) that is. Dean looks over at the sleeping angel in his car and Sam knows what to say.</p><p>“Why don’t you ask Cas?”</p><p>“Ask him what?”</p><p>Sam shakes his head, eternally exasperated with his brother. “Ask Cas what he wants to do?”</p><p>“Oh.” Dean stares into space, considering. “That’s…a good idea, Sammy.”</p><p>“I’m known to have those sometimes.”</p><p>“Shut up.”</p><p>Sam just laughs and pulls Dean into a hug. Sam can tell Dean doesn’t want to let go, so he doesn’t either. It’s their longest one.</p><p>“You’ll visit, though, right?” Dean says into his shoulder.</p><p>“Yeah. Of course. We both will.”</p><p>Dean squeezes tighter before slapping him hard on the back. “Okay,” he says as he lets go. He wipes the tears from his eyes. “Go on, then.” Dean shoos him away with the flick of his hand. “Find your gal.”</p><p>“And you.” Sam mimics the motion as he walks to his car. “Find your guy.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.”</p><p>He doesn’t have to look for long. Dean hears the Impala’s door open and shut behind him, then Cas appears by his side. He waves at Sam. Sam waves back as he pulls away, smiling all too knowingly.</p><p>“Hey,” Dean says to Cas, watching Sam drive away.</p><p>“Hey.”</p><p>They stand there, arm to arm, watching the road until Sam’s car disappears over the horizon.</p><p>Dean sighs. “So, Cas. What do you want to do?”</p><p>Cas smiles thoughtfully, still looking at the road. “I have some ideas.” He looks to Dean and holds his hand out. “Shall I lead the way?”</p><p>And there it is. Cas’ future includes Dean, so Dean’s includes Cas. Dean grabs Cas’ hand and laces their fingers together.</p><p>“Yeah. I’ll follow you anywhere.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Woke up with the idea and wrote this completely in one sitting. I almost ended it after the Empty scene but realized how depressing that would be! And I had some other things to fix. Sidenote: Humans can probably see people in the Empty like Cas can, but I wanted the emphasis on touch from Dean's perspective.</p><p>Inspirations: Death Cab for Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" and the classic shipper quote "You can break my soul, take my life away, beat me, hurt me, kill me. But for the love of God, don't touch him."</p></blockquote></div></div>
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